October 26th is the official opening day of the OGT 2022 Conference and Expo, which will run for three days through October 28th, 2022.

At a time when every part of the world is affected by climate change, the subject of efficient energy use and transition to cleaner sources of energy is ever more important. The OGT-2022 is devoted to exactly this subject: to strengthen the regional dialogue on further sustainable development of the energy sector and expand opportunities for attracting foreign direct investments to the oil and gas industry of Turkmenistan, as the forum organizers note.

To achieve the goal of the sustainable development of the energy sector, industry leaders and experts need to be well-informed about the new and more fuel-efficient methods of oil and gas production. They need a platform to share their experiences and expertise with national and international colleagues – a need that is availed by the OGT-2022 Conference and Expo. 

Within the framework of the Conference, attracting foreign direct investments to the oil and gas industry of Turkmenistan, which is meant to diversify not only the distribution of the produced oil and gas but also to apply innovative methods of production in the oil and gas sector will be discussed. The participation and business meetings on the sidelines of the Conference will give a chance to potential investors to pitch their proposals for diverse projects in the oil and gas industry, chemical gas utilization, optimization of mature fields, and development of offshore blocks in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea. 

The Conference program also includes a discussion of the pressing global problem of climate change. Hence, four out of six workshops are wholly dedicated to the future of energy. 

While the plenary session will discuss the challenges and opportunities in the future of energy, the last three workshops will be wholly dedicated to exchanging ideas and experiences on such topics as “New Era Energy: renewables and hydrogen; environmental aspects of hydrocarbon development; and innovative technologies and know-how in oil and gas science and education.

Last November, in his speech at the 26th session of the UN Climate Conference, the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, noted that “Turkmenistan welcomes the Global Methane Commitment Initiative ….” Less than a year later, in October, the OGT-2022 and its preceding counterpart International Scientific Conference: “Environmental aspects in the production of hydrocarbon resources” in June 2022 substantiate that commitment. 

The main speakers on the OGT-2022 agenda are key decision-makers such as Mr. Dmitri Shlapachenko, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan and world-recognized experts in methane reduction as Ms. Olga Gassan-zade of Carbon Limits. 

The International Oil and Gas Conference has been taking place in Turkmenistan since the late 1990s. The OGT-2022 will be the 27th one. This year, it will be accompanied by an exhibition of innovative technologies and services of international and national oil and gas companies. Both the Conference and Expo caused a high-level interest from senior government officials, diplomatic representatives, industry leaders, and experts in the oil and gas sector. 

Around 40 representatives from more than 30 media entities will participate in the OGT-2022 to report on its progress to audiences not only in Turkmenistan but all over the world. The impressive list of media representatives includes writers and editors of global oil and gas analytics such as Argus Media, S&P Global Commodity Insights, Natural Gas World, China Daily, Interfax, TASS News Agency, and Belorussian News Agency. 

Before the start of the OGT-2022, dozens of news snippets were published to spread the message of the OGT-2022 to audiences beyond Turkmenistan. For instance, widely read news sites such as China Daily, Natural Gas World, and Central Asia News have posted the press release of the Conference so that people who will not be able to attend the OGT will still be able to learn about such a significant event in the oil and gas sphere. 

For delegates of the OGT-2022, the organizing committee has arranged round-trip charter flights along the Dubai-Ashgabat-Dubai route to help more than 100 delegates come to Ashgabat at a time when international travel is barely recovering from the pandemic. 

More than 500 foreign and local delegates of international organizations, diplomatic missions, and international and national companies registered in Turkmenistan will also attend both the Conference and Exhibition. The delegates represent more than 200 companies from 45 countries. Of those who will not be able to join the OGT-2022 in person, around 100 are expected to tune in online. In addition, more than 50 energy companies will be represented at the Exhibition.   

So for the following three days, the OGT-2022 will promote the efficient production and consumption of oil and gas by giving a platform to experts, decision-makers, and industry leaders to present and exchange their ideas, expertise, and experience.